UI libraries like Material-UI, Chakra UI, and Radix provide pre-built, accessible components. Integrate them by installing the package, wrapping your app with a ThemeProvider, and importing components. Use them for rapid development and consistent design; build custom when you need unique designs or minimal bundle size.
Popular UI Libraries (2025):
Material-UI (MUI):
Chakra UI:
Radix UI:
shadcn/ui:
When to Use UI Libraries:
When to Build Custom:
import { ThemeProvider, createTheme } from '@mui/material/styles';
import { Button, TextField, Card, CardContent, CssBaseline } from '@mui/material';
// Create custom theme
const theme = createTheme({
palette: {
primary: {
main: '#1976d2',
},
secondary: {
main: '#dc004e',
},
mode: 'light', // or 'dark'
},
typography: {
fontFamily: 'Inter, Arial, sans-serif',
h1: {
fontSize: '2.5rem',
},
},
// Component overrides
components: {
MuiButton: {
styleOverrides: {
root: {
borderRadius: 8,
},
},
},
},
});
function App() {
return (
<ThemeProvider theme={theme}>
<CssBaseline /> {/* Normalize CSS */}
<Card sx={{ maxWidth: 400, m: 2 }}>
<CardContent>
<TextField
label="Email"
variant="outlined"
fullWidth
margin="normal"
/>
<Button variant="contained" color="primary" fullWidth>
Sign Up
</Button>
</CardContent>
</Card>
</ThemeProvider>
);
}